UNIFYING EAST AFRICA THROUGH ARTS AND CULTURE

1. UNIFYING EAST AFRICA THROUGH ARTS AND CULTURE By Prof. (Dr. Dr.) Elisante Ole Gabriel Professor of Strategic Planning and Mgt. Director of Youth Development, Tanzania www.olegabriel.com, elisante_gabriel@yahoo.com +255-784-455

2. INTRODUCTION The Concept of Culture: A General Overview • What is Culture? Culture is defined as shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, learned through a process of socialization (hence social construction). • These shared patterns identify the members of a culture group while also distinguishing those of another group.

3. Intro cont.. • Most social scientists today view culture as consisting primarily of the symbolic, ideational, and intangible aspects of human societies. • Even the words we speak and the way we speak is a function of culture. • Moral Capital = Social Capital + Ethical Capital • People are different and their differences are different because of culture and beliefs.

4. Intro cont.. • It is the values, symbols, interpretations, and perspectives that distinguish one people from another in modernized societies • It is not material objects and other tangible aspects of human societies. • Even within EAC people have different working culture, we need to integrate.

5. Intro cont.. • Kluckhohn, C., et al. (1945), in their book of “The Science of Man in the World Culture. New York. (pp. 78-105)”, define culture as those historically created designs for living, explicit and implicit, rational, irrational, and non-rational, which exist at any given time as potential guides for the behavior of men.

6. Intro cont.. • Therefore, the most notable things about culture embrace issues on: • Behaviorial Patterns • Socialization • Attitudes, • Values • Symbols • Interpretations and Perspectives

7. BASIC ELEMENTS OF CULTURE • Language • Norms • Values • Beliefs and Ideologies. • Social Collectives. • Status and Roles. • Cultural Integration.

8. FOSTERING THE INTEGRATION THROUGH A FORMALIZED CULTURAL INDUSTRY • Cultural industry is not a new phenomenon in East African Countries. • It has been there since a primitive era. Our ancestors used to practice things such as traditional dancing, crafting, curving, knitting, etc. • Culture was and still a means for socialization, solidarity and integration among different groups in their societies.

9. Cont.. • The situation has remained the same despite of the emerging new inventions in science and technology. • This have posed a strong challenge demanding the East African Countries to radically undergo a consistent change in Cultural Industry. • It culture which will act as a glue to ensure that EAC becomes ‘one team’ and works through synergy (1+1+1+1+1 > 5).

10. Why is it important undergo this change on cultural industry? • The Governments will be able to collect taxes, having a competitive economies • To enact and enforce laws which will safeguard the work rights of the local artists in the East Africa • The manifestation of what is being portrayed can help to promote, strengthen and maintain peace and tranquility in EAC and beyond • We need to engage seriously on the cultural integration during peace than waiting for ‘chaos’ then to mediate.

11. Cont.. • Through a formalized cultural industry it will help the member states in East Africa to have a Regional Representation and Identity beyond borders • A formalized cultural industry will help to address social issues prevailing in the societies include HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and trafficking, crime, to mention the few • A formalized cultural industry if well promoted it will help to create jobs and reduce unemployment rate among youth in East Africa

12. HOW TO SPEED THE FORMALIZATION PROCESS IN EAC? • Member States in East Africa Community should see the need and importance of Cultural Industry as a formal sector in accordance with the change in science and technology in the World • Member States in EAC should develop policies and strategies to guide through the process towards the formulization of cultural industry and it implementation

13. Cont.. • In order for the process to yield effectively, there is a need for public awareness campaign to be conducted so that the society will acknowledge the fruitfulness of this industry on social and economic prosperous of their countries • There is a need to mainstream cultural industry in schools’ curriculum in order to increase more awareness about various activities associated with this industry

14. Lessonf from the Cultural Industry in EAC • God has given us so many opportunities which we are not utilizing • Unemployment being a serious problem globally, cultural industry can help to reduce the pressure. And.. • Some key players (artists) in the industry have some social-cultural problems which do tarnish the image of the industry

15. CONCLUSION • Formalization of Cultural Industry in EAC has a strong impact on the Macro environment (SLEEP-TIN Forces) • There should be a think Tank for cultural industry development in EAC. AND • Research and Deveplemt is necessary for strategic formalization of the industry +255-784-455499 elisante_gabriel@yahoo.com www.olegabriel.com